Sports
Hockey

Underdog Winterhawks face rival Durham

Tuesday, February 6, 2018
3:08:34 EST PM

The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks travel to Durham Feb. 9 to face the Thundercats in game three of the best-of-seven WOAA Sr. "AA" quarter finals, the third-straight season the rivals meet in the opening round of the playoffs.

The Saugeen Shores Winterhawks travel to Durham Feb. 9 to face the Thundercats in game three of the best-of-seven WOAA Sr. "AA" quarter finals, the third-straight season the rivals meet in the opening round of the playoffs.

The underdog "Hawks are 2-0 after dropping game one 5-4 in Durham, Feb. 2, and game two 4-3 at The Plex Feb. 3.

Durham finished the season with a 16-4-0 record and won both games with the 'Hawks this season.

In game one, Durham got on the board just 19-seconds in when starting goaltender Richard Harris made a save on a point shot, but the rebound dropped on the stick of a Thundercat who had an open net and made it 1-0.

The Winterhawks responded when Brent MacDermid set up Lauchlin Elder on a two-on-one rush and the rookie forward tapped it in for a 1-all tie at 3:16 of the first period.

Durham scored two quick goals to reclaim the lead, but the Winterhawks got one back late in the period on a power-play as Trevor Smith's point shot deflected off Trent Hawke and past the Durham netminder.

Durham restored its two-goal lead at 4:19 of the second period to make it 4-2.

Miles MacLean brought the home crowd to their feet with 41-seconds left in the period, taking a cross-crease pass from MacDermid, out-waiting Burt, and burying the puck in the top corner for the power-play marker to make it a 4-3 game after two periods.

The Winterhawks pressed for the equalizer, but had to settle for the 4-3 loss.

In game one, the 'Hawks battled back from a 3-0 deficit, but ultimately were edged 5-4 by Durham, a game with several highly questionable referee calls, according to Head Coach Jim Grieve.

“It’s frustrating, there’s no doubt about it, taking two goaltender interference penalties when I don’t think we deserved either one,” he said after the game, adding “That’s tough to take.”

'Hawks goalie Harris made 38 saves, and gave the team a chance to win, Grieve said.

Durham took the first game of the season series on Oct. 27th, defeating the Winterhawks on home ice 4-1, despite being outshot 30-15.

Durham had another victory in Port Elgin Dec. 22, a 4-3 decision that again saw the 'Hawks outshoot the Thundercats 39 to 26.

A loss to Ripley the following week promoted Coach Grieve challenge a player to “put the team on his shoulders.”

Among those that stepped up were Miles MacLean, Brent MacDermid and Chris Minard.

MacLean went on a tear in the final five games of the season, putting 13 points (4G, 9A) on the board, en route to capturing the team scoring title with 27 points in 15 games.

MacDermid went one further, amassing 14 points (6G, 8A) in the same span, while Minard enters the playoffs on a seven-game point streak, with six goals and nine assists for 15 points in that stretch.